It is known in the art to attach lights to roller skates. Such lights may function as miniature head lamps to illuminate the ground or other support surface in front of the skater. It is also known, however, to apply lights to roller skates primarily for decorative purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,208, issued Jan. 29, 1974, illustrates an arrangement of the latter type. More particularly, the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,208 is for attachment to a conventional skate wheel of a roller skate. The suggested form of attachment is a magnet connected to the skate wheel axle. The light apparatus is of multi-component construction including a socket attached to the axle, a rotary disk engaging the skate wheel and rotatable therewith, and a housing which is non-rotatable.
A battery powered light bulb is disposed within the non-rotatable housing, the light bulb being observable through a transparent cover attached to the non-rotatable housing. The rotatable disk functions as a switch turning the light bulb on and off during rotation of the roller skate wheel, although, as stated above, the housing and the light bulb do not rotate.
The arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,208 is relatively complex and readily dislodged from the roller skate to which it has been attached, creating potential for injury. Furthermore, the decorative affect produced thereby is less than satisfactory in that the light bulb remains stationary relative to the skate and does not rotate with the wheel.